Google working with Visa, Mastercard, PayPal to cut off funding for alleged piracy sites

Google (GOOG) has decided to take the next step in its anti-piracy efforts by working with Visa, Mastercard and PayPal to cut off funding for websites accused of making money off of pirated content, the Telegraph reports. According to the Telegraph, Google is “considering the radical measure so that it can get rid of the root cause instead of having to change its own search results” and would like to “block funding to websites that do not respond to legal challenges.” However, the Telegraph also reports that Google is wary of embracing such a strategy because it “may have unintended consequences, for instance companies using it to stamp out” competitors by accusing them of piracy to cut off their funds.